Target trap with automatically varied throwing angle



1954 c. WOOLSEY TARGET TRAP WITH AUTOMATICALLY VARIED THRQWING ANGLEFiled July 12, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet l IIII I IIIIII INVENTOR. CLARENCE L.WOLSEY Filed July 12, 1952 Feb. 9, 1954 WOOLSEY 2,668,526

TARGET TRAP WITH AUTOMATICALLY VARIED THROWING ANGLE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 oo I Q o 174 /a4 I 0 18a 0 me 78 I86 A90 /80 4 me f /7/ INVENTOR.CLARENCE L. WOOLSEY Patented Feb. 9, 1954 ()FFI-CFE TARGETTRAIIWWITHHQAUIOMATIGALLY VARIED THROWING ANGLE Clarence B. Wool'sey,Randall, Kans. Application .Tuly 12, 1952, Serial N0. 298,547 .9 Claims.(01. "124-9) This invention'relates to throwing devices for use intarget practice where clay targets, which are commonly referred to asblue rocks or clay pigeons, are discharged into the air, and inparticular a clay target throwing machine in which the path of targetsbeing discharged therefrom is continuously changing.

The purpose of this invention is to improve clay target throwingmachines by changing the path of the targets so that the targetssimulate birds in flight. 1

various types of machines have been provided for discharging claytargets or pigeons, however, conventional machines of this type throwthe targets in a continuous path and with each target following thesa'mepath it is comparatively easy to cover an area through which atarget will travel with the sights of a gun. With this thought in mindthis invention contemplates a target throwing machine in which thedischarging' arm swings in both vertical and horizontal planes andswings continuously in the horizontal plane as targets are dischargedtherefrom.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide a target throwingmachine in which each target thrown by the machine follows a diiferentpath.

Another "object of the invention is to provide 'atarg'et dischargingdevice in which the angle of the throwing element is readily adjustablein a vertical plane. 1 v

Another important object of the invention is 'toprovide a targetthrowing machine inwhich the discharging arm travels continuously in ahorizontal plane and in which the releasing eleinerit is actuated by amanually operated button.

A further object of the invention is to provide a target throwingmachine in "which, after the release of the discha'rgii'i'g element, theelement is reset or cocked by continuous movement of the machine. I 7

ii still further object of the invention is to provid a target throwingmachine in which the path of the target changes centinutusiy, in whichthe machine is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the inventionembodies a target swinging arm pivotally mounted on a frame mounted formovement in a Vertical plane on a turntable that is pivotally mounted toswing 'in a horizontal pleas one base, and wherein the turntable is ietprotatea in the ho'i i'z'ontal plane by a motor which aist resets orcooks the target swinging or tl' iioiving aim.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein:Figure 1 is a side elevational view illustrating the design andarrangement of the .parts of the target throwing machine. I

Figure 2 is a plan view of the machine. 7

Figure 3 is a sectional plan through the lower part of the machine,taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an elevational view with the parts shown on an enlargedscale with parts broken away and parts shown in section, andillustrating the operating spindle carried by the frame of the machine.

Figure 5 is a cross section taken on line 5-5 of Figure 1 illustratingthe solenoid actuated latch for releasing the target throwing arm.

Figure 6 is a side elevational view of the latch shown in Figure 5 withparts of the frame broken away. 7

Figure 7 is a plan view of the target throwing arm with the parts shownon an enlarged scale and with parts broken away. i

Figure 8 is a section taken on line 88 of Figure 7.

Referring now to the drawings 'whereinlike reference characters denotecorresponding parts the improved target throwing machine of thisinvention includes a base H], a turntable I2 pivotally mounted on thebase, a frame l4 pivotally mounted to swing in a vertical plane on astandard iii of the turntable, a gear housing I8 carried by the frame[4, a throwing arm 20 pivotally mounted by a shaft 22 in the frame andhousing, a spindle 2 4 journaled in thelower part of the housing, alatch '26 for retaining the arm 20 in a cooked position, and a motor 28for continuous- 1y reciprocating the turntable, frame and arm, and alsofor actuating theailfn to a reset or cooked position after a target isthrown by the arm.

h base lo, as illustrated in friguie z and 3, is provided with acircular pody portion and an extension 39 in which is a slot 3:! inwhich a pin 34 is adjustably mounted. The base is also 'p'ro vided witha stub shaft 36 which extend's into a socket 38 in the center of theturntable l2' wherfe b'y'the turntable is pivotally mounted on the base;

The standard It extnd s' upwardly above the socket 3s and the frame i4is pivotany mounted with a pin 40 on the upper nd of the Sta arid. thepin extending through a vertically d 'ed. web 42 of the frame. The webis also. provided with an arcuate s'lot fl through 'which a clamp screw16, which is threaded into the standard I6;

extends whereby the angle of the frame is adjustable in a verticalplane.

The throwing arm 20, which is mounted on the upper end of the shaft 22,is actuated by a spring 48, one end of which is connected to a post 50on the frame I4, and the other end being connected to an eccentricallypositioned pin 52 on the arm. The targets, as indicated by the numeral54, are temporarily held on the arm 20 with a strip 56 of rubber or thelike, which is secured between strips 58 and 60, and the strips 58 and60 are held by screws 62 that are threaded in spacing lugs 64 on theupper surface of the arm 20, as shown in Figure 8.

A disc 66, mounted on the under surface of the arm 20 and positionedaround the shaft 22 is provided with a substantially semi-circular bar68 having arcuate ends 10, and a roller 12 on one end of a lever 14 ispositioned to travel on the under surface of the bar, as shown in Figure4. The lever 14 is pivotally mounted by a pin 16 on a hub 18 on theupper end of the housing, and a rod 60 pivotally connected to the leverextends downwardly through an opening 82 in the housing and through ayoke 84 which is pivotally mounted by a pin 86 in the housing. The lowerend of the rod 80 is provided with a head 88 and a spring 90 ispositioned between the head and yoke. The roller 12 is journaled by apin 82 in a hub on the lever 14 and the arms of the yoke are providedwith studs 94 that extend between flanges 96 of a clutch collar 08 thatis slidably mounted on a stub shaft I which is positioned between thespindle 24 and shaft 22.

The lower end of the stub shaft I00 is journaled in a socket I02 in thespindle 24 and a pin I04 extended from a hub I06 on the upper end isjournaled in a socket I08 in an enlarged section IIO on the lower end ofthe shaft 22. A spring I I2 positioned on the section I I0 is mountedwith the lower end held on an arm II6 on the hub I06.

The clutch collar 98 is provided with a hub I I8 from the lower side ofwhich ratchet teeth I20 extend and the teeth I20 are positioned to coactwith teeth I22 on a gear I24 which is mounted on the upper end of thespindle 24. The clutch collar is urged downwardly by a spring I26 on theshaft I00 and as the roller 12 travels off of the end of the bar 68 therod 80 drops downwardly whereby the spring I26 moves the ratchet teeth I20 into engagement with the teeth I22 and the shaft 22 is rotatedthrough a frictional engagement as the spring II2 tightens about themember H0.

The gear I24 meshes with a pinion I28 on a shaft I30 which is journaledin the lower section I32 of the housing I8 and the shaft I30 is rotatedby a motor 28 through a belt I34 and pulleys I36 and I38. The pulley I36is positioned on the end of the shaft I30 and the pulley I38 is on themotor shaft.

The spindle 24 is journaled in a bearing I40 in the lower end of thesection I32 of the housin I8 and an arm I42, which is secured to thelower end of the spindle with a clamp I44, is connected to a rod I46with a universal joint I48, and the opposite end of the rod is securedto an arm I50 of a bell-crank I52 with'a universal joint I54. The rodI46 is provided with a turnbuckle I56 for adjusting the stroke of theframe and the joint I54 is connected to the arm I50 with a bolt I58 thatextends through a slot I60 in the arm. The bell-crank is pivotallymounted on an ear I62 on one side of the turntable with a pin I64, as

shown in Figure 3, and the other arm of the bell-crank is provided withan elongated slot I66 through which the pin 34 in the slot 32 of theextension 30 extends.

The latch 26 which holds the arm 20 in the cocked position is pivotallymounted by a pin I68 in a bearing I10 on the frame I4 and with the latchin the holding position, as shown in Figure 5, a roller I12 in arms I14engages the under surface of a bar I16 extending from the latch. Thearms I14 are pivotally mounted by a pin I18 in a bracket I on the web 42of the frame I4, and a lever I82, which extends from the pin I 68, isconnected by a chain I84 to a core I86 of a solenoid I88. The lever I82is urged upwardly by a spring I90 on a pin I92 of a yoke I94, the upperend of the yoke being attached to the lever I82 with a pin I96.

The frame I4 is provided with a slot I98 in which the latch 26 ispositioned, and with the latch as shown in Figure 5, it is engaged by aroller 200 on a support 202 extended from the under side of the throwingarm 20.

With the parts arranged in this manner an operator actuates a button toclose the circuit to the solenoid I88 and the solenoid draws the leverI02 downwardly, drawing the roller I12 from the bar I16 whereby thelatch 26 is released and the spring 48 actuates the throwing arm with aquick action for throwing the targets. fhe tension of the spring 48 maybe adjusted by a nut 204 threaded on a stem 206 extended from one end ofthe spring.

The motor runs continuously while the machine is in use whereby thespindle also rotates continuously turning the arcuate arm on the lowerend thereof and the arm through the rod I46 and bell-crank impart areciprocating action to the turntable so that when the button is pressedto release the throwing arm the path of a missile or target dischargedby the machine is unpredictable.

As a target is discharged by the throwing arm 20 the roller 12 ridesover the arcuate surface 10 of the bar 68 and the clutch collar dropsthe upper ratchet teeth into the teeth on the gear I24 which, operatingcontinuously, turns the stub shaft I00 and the hub I06 of the shaftturns the upper shaft 22 which brings the throwing arm back to thecooked position, at which time the roller 12 is moved downwardly by thebar 68 thereby drawing the clutch collar upwardly and releasing theratchet teeth from the teeth of the gear. The machine is then reset orcooked and the button may be pressed again to discharge another target.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a bluerock trap constructed in accordance with my invention is particularlywell adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility withwhich it may be assembled and operated, and it will also'be obvious thatmy invention is susceptible of some change and modification withoutdeparting from the principles and spirit thereof, and for this reason Ido not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precisearrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown incarryingout my invention in practice, except as claimed.

. Whatisclaimed is:

l. A target throwing machine comprising-a turntable, a throwing armpivotally mounted on the turntable, a base on which the turntable ismounted, power means carried by the turntable and coacting with the basefor continuously reaced-sac :ciproca'ting "the turntable in "ahorizontal plane and about a center, a. latch for retaining said arm acooked position, manually actuated means for actuating the latch torelease the arm, means for actuating the arm with a snap action fordischarging a target, and m'eahs'for resetting the'arm.

2. A target throwing machine comprising a turntable, a throwing armpivotally mounted on the turntable, means for adjusting said arm in avertical plane, a base on which the turntable is mounted, power meanscarried by the turntable and co'actin'g with the base for continuouslyreciprocating the turntable in a horizontal plane and from a center, alatch for retaining said arm' in a cooked position, manually actuatedmeans for a'ctuating the latch to release the arm, means for actuatingthe arm with a snap action for discharging a target, and means forreseting the arm.

3. A target throwing machine comprising a turntable, a base upon whichthe turntable is pivotally mounted, a throwing arm pivotally mounted onthe turntable, power means carried by the turntable and coacting withthe base for continuously reciprocating the turntable on the base andfrom the pivotal mounting thereof, a latch for retaining the arm in acocked position, a solenoid for actuating the latch to release the arm,a spring for actuating said arm to discharge a target, and means forcooking the arm.

4. A target throwing machine comprising a base, a turntable pivotallymounted on the base, a frame carried by the turntable, a throwing armpivotally mounted on the frame, a spindle carried by the frame, a motoron the frame, means operatively connecting the spindle to the motor,means connecting the spindle to the turntable and base whereby theturntable is reciprocated as the spindle rotates, a latch for retainingsaid arm in a cooked position, a solenoid, means actuating the latch bythe solenoid for releasing the arm, a spring connected to the frame andarm for actuating the arm to discharge a target, and means resetting thearm by the spindle.

L 5. In a target throwing machine, the combination which comprises abase having a vertically disposed stub shaft extended upwardlytherefrom, a turntable having a socket in which the stud shaft of thebase is positioned whereby the turntable is pivotally mounted on thebase, a standard extended upwardly from the turntable, a framepositioned above the base and pivotally mounted on said standard, ahousing carried by the frame, a shaft journaled in the upper end of thehousing, a throwing arm mounted on said shaft, resilient means connectedto the frame and arm for actuating the arm to discharge targets from thearm, a spindle journaled in the lower part of the housing and positionedin alignment with said shaft, a motor carried by the frame andoperatively connected to said spindle, adjustable means connecting thespindle to the base for reciprocating the turntable, frame and arm aboutthe stub shaft on the base, a clutch for connecting the shaft to thespindle, means whereby the clutch is actuated by the throwing arm uponcompletion of a throwing action to rotate the shaft to return thethrowing arm to the cooked position, a latch for retaining said arm in acooked position, and means for releasing said latch.

6. In a target throwing machine, the combination which comprises a base,a turntable pivotally mounted on the base, said turntable having astandard extended upwardly therefrom, a

frame "pivotally "mounted, for movement in averti'cail plane, on saidstandard, a housing 'carried by the frame, a shaft journaled in theupper end of the housing and extended upwardly from the housing, atarget throwing arm carried by said shaft and positioned above theframe, a spring connected to the arm and frame for actuating the arm todischarge a target therefrom, means on the arm for'temporarily holding atarget, a spindle journaled in the lower end of the housing, a stubshaft in the housing and positioned between the spindle and shaft in theupper end of thehousing, an arcuate arm extended from the lower end ofthe spindle, a bell-crank pivotally mounted on the turntable, meansconnecting the bell-crank to the arcuate arm of the spindle and basewhereby rotation of the spindle re'c'iprocates the turntable, means forrotating the spindle, a latch for retaining the target throwing arm in acooked position, and means for releasing said latch.

7. In a target throwing machine, the combination which comprises a base,a turntable pivotally mounted on the base, said turntable having astandard extended upwardly therefrom, a frame pivotally mounted on thestandard, means adjusting the postion of the frame in a vertical plane,a cylindrical housing depending from one end of the frame, a shaftjournaled in the upper end of the housing, a target throwing arm carriedby said shaft, a spring connected to the arm and frame for actuating thearm to discharge a target, a spindle journaled in the housing, meansresiliently connecting the spindle to the shaft, a clutch in theconnection between the spindle and shaft, a gear on the spindle, a motorcarried by the frame, means driving the gear and spindle by the motor,an arm extended from the lower end of the spindle, a bell-crankpivotally mounted on the turntable, a rod connecting the arm of thespindle to one side of the bell-crank, a guide pin adjustably mounted onthe base and extended through the side of the bell-crank opposite to theside to which said rod is connected whereby upon rotation of the spindlethe bell-crank reciprocates the turntable about the pivotal mountingthereof, alatch carried by the frame and positioned to retain the targetthrowing arm in a cooked position, a solenoid, and means actuating thelatch by said solenoid.

8. In a target throwing machine, the combination which comprises a base,a turntable pivotally mounted on the base, said turntable having astandard extended upwardly therefrom, a frame pivotally mounted on thestandard, means for adjusting the position of the frame in a verticalplane, a cylindrical housing depending from one end of the frame, ashaft journaled in the upper end of the housing, a target throwing armcarried by said shaft, a spring connected to the arm and frame foractuating the arm to discharge a target, a spindle journaled in thehousing, means resiliently connecting the spindle to the shaft, a clutchin the connection between the spindle and shaft, a gear on the spindle,a pinion positioned on a shaft journaled in the housing, a motor, meansdriving the shaft with the pinion thereon by the motor, an arm extendedfrom the lower end of the spindle, a bell-crank pivotally mounted on theturntable and having a short arm and a long arm, a rod having aturnbuckle therein connecting the short arm of the bellcrank to the armof the spindle, a guide pin mounted in the base and extended through thelong arm of the bell-crank whereby rotation of the spindle causes theturntable to reciprocate about the pivotal mounting thereof on the base,a latch carried by the frame and positioned to retain the targetthrowing arm in a cooked position, a solenoid carried by said frame,means for actuating the latch to release the target throwing arm by thesolenoid, and means actuated by the target discharge movement of thetarget discharge movement of the target throwing arm for moving theclutch whereby the target throwing arm is reset by said gear in thehousing.

9. In a target throwing machine, the combination which comprises a base,a turntable mounted to rotate in a horizontal plane on said base, aframe pivotally mounted on the turntable, means for adjusting the framein a vertical plane, a vertically disposed shaft journaled in one end ofthe frame, a throwing arm having means thereon for temporarily retainingtargets mounted on said shaft, a motor carried by the frame,

means actuated by the motor and coacting with the base for reciprocatingthe turntable and frame on the base, a latch for retaining the throwingarm in a cooked position, means for actuating the latch to release thearm, and means operatively connecting the shaft on which the throwingarm is mounted to the motor actuated means whereby the throwing arm isreturned to a cocked position after a throwing action of the arm.

CLARENCE L. WOOLSEY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

